Malcolm Cox

One of the characteristics of a refugee is that they carry very little with them. Everything in their luggage or backpack must be vital. There is no place for the unnecessary or superfluous. Many refugees carry all their possessions on their backs, or push them in a cart. They make difficult choices about what to take with them, and what to leave behind. For most refugees they are carrying a tiny proportion of their worldly belongings. There are parallels here with the people of Israel and followers of Jesus. Let's consider this passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. “Your boasting is not a good thing. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:6-8 NRSV) No Yeast  When the Israelites

Today we look at the tenth chapter ‘How to Preach so People will Listen’. A sermon is not a text or an outline, it is thing that only lives as it is spoken. The speaking of it is what makes it real. Therefore the way we deliver it is important. The oft-quoted adage that only 7 percent of a message comes through the words is, I understand, a debatable claim. But, what cannot be denied is that the way we speak a sermon has a significant influence on the way it is received. Below I lay out the structure of the chapter in Haden Robinson's book. I will not go through it in detail – better that you buy the book! What I will do today is share some observations based on my experience.  The outline in Haddon Robinson’s book Grooming and dress Movement and gestures: spontaneous gestures; definite gestures; varied gestures; properly timed gestures Eye contact Vocal delivery: pitch; Punch; progress; pause Rehearsal Feedback  First, some examples from Jesus. Jesus Gesture - “Pointing to his disciples, he said, “He

One of the characteristics of a refugee is that they are unable to return to  the place from which they escaped. Or, at the very least, it is unsafe to do so. Many refugees are fleeing political, racial or religious persecution. To return might be suicide. The yearn to return is strong, however, no matter how dangerous. Israel struggled with this. Christian have a parallel experience. Temptation to Return The Israelites were quick to forget their slave status in Egypt. Fear messed with their thinking. Their pre-Moses memories faded in the face of frightening news.  “Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:3 NAS95) Leaders are no less prone to this temptation than anyone else. I expect you can think of Kings who violated this command, “Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LOR

Introduction 1605 Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot. Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent To blow up the King and the Parliament Three score barrels of powder below Poor old England to overthrow By God's providence he was catch'd With a dark lantern and burning match Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring Holler boys, holler boys, God save the King! Remembering the right things is important QUESTION: What is vital to remember? What, if you forgot it, would cause severe stress in your life?  What does/did God remember, and what are we to be remembered for? God remembers his people (do they remember him?) “He has raised up a mighty saviour for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy cov

Today we look at the ninth chapter of Haddon Robinson’s excellent book. How is our thinking ‘dressed’? Have you ever dressed inappropriately for an event you went to? It sends the wrong signals, confuses the observers, and embarrasses the wearer. Lessons that are badly dressed draw attention to the confused thought that led to this error. What do we mean by dressing a lesson? Haddon Robinson gives us the following subtitles to the chapter:  Strong transitions A clear style: a clear outline; short sentences; simple sentence structure; simple words A direct and personal style A vivid style I won't comment on all of these because Haddon Robinson does it much better in his book, but I will highlight a couple of points. Transitions Why do clear transitions matter? The matter because a listener needs stronger clues about the direction of thinking than a reader. Someone reading a text can see the transition in front of them. They can re-read the document and observe the transition. In a lesson the listener ne

In this short series we have been exploring how security in the Father enables our willing submission to him and the difference that makes to our prayers. In the first episode we talked about the way in which we hear our Father’s voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father’s voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11) In the second episode we tackled the topic of submission. Although submission is challenging to practice, it is so much easier when we are convinced of our heavenly Father’s unconditional love for us. Jesus was the ultimate super-submissive son, setting us an example by wrestling in Gethsemane and going to the cross — not because he felt like it, but because it was the will of his Father. Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father’s plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of His trust in God’s wisdom and divine purpose. In the third episo

Refugees are running from something. Starvation, oppression, persecution, floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, forest fires, war — the list is long. More than once God’s people found themselves running away from danger. God’s refugee people became expert escapologist - some of the time. However, at others they suffered from not heeding the warnings. What relevance does this have for our relationship with God? God’s people ran away from danger We could explore Noah running from the flood or Abraham running from famine, but we will concentrate on the flight from Egypt. The exodus was an escape. In a hurry. Even their captors urged them to get on with it, “The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”” (Exodus 12:33 NIV11) God rescued his people from slavery, idolatry and a context in which they were in danger of being assimilated by the prevailing culture. He carried them to safety, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I car

When God Makes You Go ‘WOW!’, Psalm 65 Introduction What makes you go, “WOW!”? 1. God yearns for our nearness, vv1-4 A. Answers prayer B. Forgives our sins C. Divan’s testimony D. God wants us near, Matthew 11:28 Application: 2. God has the strength you don’t, vv5-8 A. Nature B. Strength The Universe is not stranger than we imagine. It is stranger than we can imagine. British biologist JBS Haldane C. Power, 1 Corinthians 6:14 Application:  3. God provides more than we need, vv9-13 A. Abundance is never enough for human greed B. God provides the resources for life C. God provides the resources for the Christian life, John 7:37-39, John 10:10 Application: Conclusion Lord’s Supper: Luke 22.19 Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.  Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmc

Stefan explored the idea of Christian unity looking at some of the writings of Paul. Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.  Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [malcolm@malcolmcox.org](mailto:malcolm@malcolmcox.org).  If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/).  Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.  “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)  God bless, Malcolm

Today we look at the eight chapter: Start with a Bang and Quit All Over.  Outline of the chapter in Haddon Robinson’s book The introduction: an effective introducing commands attention; uncovers needs; introduces the body of the sermon; may exhibit other characteristics The conclusion: a summary; an illustration; a quotation; a question; a prayer; specific directions; visualisation  Introduction Write draft based on main point. Keeps you on track. Write final version last Why should I listen to you? Yes, you. The topic may be interesting, but they are listening to you, not a ‘paper’. What’s in it for me? Make them lean in Pause - take a breath - don’t rush A Jesus Introduction We don't see Jesus adding an introduction to many of his parables, but that's not because they did not have an introduction. It is because the context in which they were told was the introduction. They were an immediate response to something said or done by someone nearby. In other words they were already contextualised. T

Refugees are in the news. I’m sure they wish they weren’t. Around 35 million refugees exist today. That’s the equivalent of the combined populations of Ireland, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Lebanon, Palestine and Liberia. Sadly, refugees are not a modern issue. What relevance does this have for our relationship with God? Israel was a refugee from the promised land In fact, the status of Israel as a refugee goes back all the way to Abraham. He was driven to Egypt by famine. It was move — or die. “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.” (Genesis 12:10 NIV11) The situation is repeated for his grandson Jacob (Israel). “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”” (Genesis 47:3-4 NIV11) Israel — as Abraham’s grandson and as the people of God — were shaped by movement, displacement and longing. Would they

Introduction QUESTION: What do you think his answer would be? God’s people involved in war in OT God’s people not involved in war in NT What changed? Scriptures Violence from the start “Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.” (Genesis 4:8 NRSV) Vision OT - time when the lion will lie down the lamb; peace-bringer will come; peace between humans and God - “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them…. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.” (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25 NIV11) Jesus Matthew 5:9 (NIV):** "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Today we look at the seventh chapter — ‘Making Dry Bones Live’. We have a point, it is relevant to our audience and the outline makes sense. Now what? It is time to make dry bones live! A skeleton is necessary for life, but it is inadequate on its own. Below I give you the outline of the chapter in Haddon Robinson's book. I won't repeat what he says for more eloquently and powerfully than myself. What I will do is add some observations on the topic from my own experience. Check your facts I will never forget the day my friend David came up to me after a sermon. I had quoted some particularly impressive statistics. They were wrong. Statistics and numbers are not my strong point. He studied mathematics at Cambridge University. I needed his input. I also needed to learn how to interpret numbers and use them well. These days whenever I see interesting statistics about the Bible or some aspect of human existence I double and triple check them before sharing. Not only that they are accurate, but that I have inter

Class 3 - Supplication: How to Convince God to hear Your Prayers In this short series we are exploring how our security in the Father enables our willing submission to him and what difference that makes to our prayers. In the first episode we talked about the way in which we hear our Father’s voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father’s voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11) In the second episode we tackled the topic of submission. Although submission is challenging to practice, it is so much easier when we are convinced of our heavenly Father’s unconditional love for us. Jesus was the ultimate super-submissive son, setting us an example by wrestling in Gethsemane and going to the cross — not because he felt like it, but because it was the will of his Father. Jesus humbly surrendered to the Father’s plan, saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” His submission demonstrated the depth of

Today we look at the sixth chapter. But first, where are we? So far we have found the key idea that we believe the writer was writing about. We have then asked ourselves what it means, if it is really true, I want difference it makes two people today.  We have considered what that biblical concept means to us and our audience, and the precise purpose of the sermon. In other words, why am I telling this to these people on this particular day? Now we're considering how we can shape the sermon to achieve its purpose. To find the right shape for your sermon first ask yourself the following questions. 1. Am I explaining an idea? “Jesus is superior to anything and anyone”, Hebrews 1 2. Am I proving a point? James 4:17, “Christians sin when they know what they should do and refuse to do it.” 3. Am I applying a principal? 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, “What should our attitude be as children of light in a world of darkness?” 4. Am I completing a subject?  Acts 2:42-27, “What makes a church vibrant?”  Having done so, t

Introduction Not making any points about the rights and wrongs of the conflict What are we to do? What are we to learn? Scriptures How does God think about refugees? What does he feel towards them? OT: Deuteronomy 10:18-19 "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt." Leviticus 19:33-34 — "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God." God thinks they need protecting and feels compassion. He wants his people to be the same. NT: Matthew 25:35-36 — "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I

I have been thinking about refugees a lot recently. Partly because we had some Ukrainians in our church community for a year, and partly because of the current events going on in the Middle East. I spoke on the subject last Sunday in Watford on the topic "what would Jesus do with refugees?" You can find out on my YouTube channel. But what's the relevance for our times of quiet with God?  Let's begin with considering what a refugee is. A refugee according to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is: “A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to

Today we look at the fifth chapter - The Arrow and the Target

Class 2 - Submission: How to Find the Will to do God’s Will even When it is Not Your Will In this short series we are exploring how our security in the Father enables our willing submission to him. Last time we talked about the way in which we hear Father’s voice. We considered the example of Jesus, and, I hope, took inspiration from his ability to hear his Father’s voice in passages like: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV11), and, “Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”” (Mark 9:7 NIV11) The Trouble with Submission Submission is, for some people, a troubling word. It carries connotations of oppression, abuse and control. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline states, “Revolutionary submission commands us to live in submission to human authority until it becomes destructive.” Demands for submission to oppressive human authority can be destructive, but when God calls us to

How do you feel about telling God what’s going on in your life and how you feel about it? Does it seem indulgent? Or perhaps redundant. Doesn’t he already know what’s going on and how you are feel about it?  I searched the internet using the phrase ‘justifications for telling God your feelings’. Almost every link was negative. The articles focussed on not following your feelings or emotions, but instead living in obedience by faith.  Psalm 22 is an excellent example for those of us who feel awkward being so vulnerable with our heavenly father. David spends most of the first 18 verses talking about his challenges, his problems, and how desperate he feels about it all. God gets a mention, but is not directly engaged. He moves from frustration to faith, or torment to trust by: Honesty, vv1-2 Looking back at the faith of others, vv3-5 More honesty, vv6-8 Looking back at God’s faithfulness to him, vv9-10 Tentative request, v11 Laying out his problems, vv12-18 Appealing, vv19-21 Promising, v22 Calling, vv23